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The image provided by Samsung Electronics Co. shows the company's announcement on the pre-show keynote speech to be delivered by Han Jong-hee, vice chairman and CEO of the company's DX (Device Experience) division, at the Venetian's Palazzo Ballroom in Las Vegas at 6:30 p.m. on Jan. 4, 2022. (Samsung Electronics Co.) |
Samsung Electronics Co. and LG Electronics Inc., South Korea's two biggest consumer electronics companies, will unveil a slew of innovative products at the upcoming Consumer Electronics Show (CES) set to open early next month in Las Vegas.
The two companies are among the approximately 1,700 businesses from around the world and about 300 South Korean companies that will attend the event to showcase their consumer electronics and latest technologies, promising to change the way people live their lives.
While the number of participating companies are less than half the pre-pandemic levels, CES 2022, slated for Jan. 5-8, will be back in-person after going fully online this year amid the pandemic that has upended lives around the globe.
The event will still have digital elements for those who cannot physically attend it, as the omicron variant of the coronavirus has emerged as a potential threat to the safety of attendees.
Samsung Electronics is expected to showcase its new TV products that use self-emitting quantum-dot (QD) displays and OLED technology, which the tech company says offers much more vivid colors, exceptional contrast and higher energy efficiency.
People's expectations have gathered steam as Samsung Display Co., the display panel-making arm of Samsung Group, started mass production of QD OLED displays at its plant in Asan, about 100 kilometers south of Seoul, last month, in a gradual transition to more profitable, high-end QD displays from LCD panels.
Samsung Electronics leads the global TV market, with a more than 30 percent market share by sales.
When it comes to the upscale, high-end OLED TV market, however, Samsung trails its domestic rival, LG Electronics Inc., a dominant player in the segment with a more than 60 percent market share.
On the mobile front, Samsung is forecast to unveil the Galaxy S21 FE, touted by the company as "a tribute to Galaxy fans," the most affordable phone in Samsung's premium S20 line. The previous model, the Galaxy S20 FE, had its own Unpacked event in September 2020.
LG will unveil its Lifestyle TV lineup, canvas-looking LG Objet TV and movable LG StanbyME, which the company said were "the perfect solutions for today's multifunctional homes where working, learning, entertaining and relaxing are all part of the daily mix."
The LG Object TV comes with an interchangeable fabric cover that will add artwork-like elegance and an aesthetic touch to one's home. The LG StandbyMe is fitted with a wireless screen that can be swiveled and rotated, a built-in battery and a moveable stand.
While the details remain sketchy, the company is widely speculated to unveil a 97-inch OLED TV at the event. LG currently offers 88-inch OLED TVs -- the biggest of its kind.
Under the theme of "The Better Life You Deserve," LG said it will combine "physical and digital elements" to deliver new experiences to its global audience.
The physical booth will be constructed with "upcycled, recycled and recyclable materials," and the welcoming space will feature "a series of kiosks where visitors can experience the best life possible with LG products," the company said.
Visitors can take a self-guided tour using QR codes and experience LG appliances through advanced virtual and augmented reality technologies.
Samsung and LG have earned dozens of innovation awards from the Consumer Technology Association (CTA), the organizer of the event, for their standout designs and technologies. The winners include the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip3 Bespoke Edition and the LG OLED TV. (Yonhap)
